Concrete form



Nov. 17, 1925- F. O. HELTZEL CONCRETE FORM Filed Feb. 20, 1925 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRANGIS OSGAR HELTZELOF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG'NQB, TO TRUSC'ON STEEL. COMPANY, 0F YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

corwmrrisz roam.

Applicationl led February`20, 19215. Serial No. 10,624.-

yTo all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FBANcIs O. HELTZEL, a citizen of United States, residing at York, in the county of Yorkand State of Pennsylvaniafhave invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Concrete Forms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.`

The present invention relates to concrete forms, and more particularly to road forms using rails for defining the edges of a concrete road, side-walk, or the like,this invention being an improvement4 overv the concrete form disclosed in my Patent No. 1,523,961 aimed Janse, 1925.

One of t e objects of the invention is the provision of a stake receiving member carried by the rail or side member of the form and having a Wedge slidable therein for clamping the stake, in order to conveniently and eiliciently secure saidv rail to the stake.

Another object is to im rove the .means for joining and securing t e rail ends together, using a stake for each rail end, and a simple and convenient device for` simultaneously clamping the two stakes of the 'oint. J, With the fore oing and other ob'ects in View, which will apparent as the escription proceeds, the invention resides in the constructionv and arrangement of'parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being` understood that changes can be made within the scopeof what is claimed, without departing' from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accom.- panying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a pers ectiv'e view of a concrete form showing t e improvements, portions being broken away.

Fi 2 is a horizontal section through a rai joint, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3 3' of Fig. 2.

The rails or side members 7, such as are used in the construction of concrete roads, side-Walks, and the like, have the upright -webs 8, outturned base flanges 9 at their lower edges, outturned tread ila es 10 at their upper edges, and secondarynan es or lips 11 -depen ing from the treadA anges 10.V These rails are laid end to end, and the road or concrete structure is built up between opposite rails, which serve to define the edges of the road, while the flanges 10 define the surface of the road at thev op osite edges.

gecured to each end portion of each rail at the outer side of the web thereof is a back plate 12, same being riveted, welded or otherwise secured to thel web of the rail adjacent to the corresponding end thereof.

Each plate 12 has an outstanding socket lmember 13 of loop form which projects and bottomV preventing outward disp acement of the rails by the pressure of the concrete against them. The socket members 13 at the adjacent ends of two rails are flush with the ends of the rails so as to abut one another, with the sockets or openings of said members 13 re 'sterin to receive" a latch 16.

vThe lato ing or forging, and which is also preferabl cored out to li hten the weight thereo comprises a sha 17 slidable longitudinally along the outer side ofthe web 8 of one rail, and the' latch has a head or enlargement 18 adapted to vslide snugly into theregistering socket members 13. The latch has an outstanding lug 19 at that end of the shank 17 opposite to the head 1 8 to receive the blows of a hammer or other implement for sliding-the, latch in either direction. The latch is also oiset, as at -20, at the web side of the head 18- to accommodate the plates 12 when the latch is. slid into the socket members, with the shank 17 bearing against the web of one rail. The outer ed eportion of the head has notchesA 21 to reglster with the apertures 14y in the top and bottom portions of the socket members, ,to receive the stakes, whereby the engagement of the stakes in said notches will result in the two rails being secured tightly together end 'to end.

As described to this point, the structure is substantially the same as that disclosed in the aforesaid patent, and in lieu of set screws for clamping the stakes, a single 'securing or clamping element is used, yas

will presently appear.

16,- w ich is'. preferably a castlocsn The head or enlargement 18 of the latch has a longitudinal slot 22 extending therethrough in which a wedge 23 is disposed for longitudinal sliding movement therein. The wedge is longer than the head 18 so as to project from the opposite ends of the head,

and the outer edge of the wedge is adapted to contact with both stakes 15, the outer portion of the slot 22 intersecting the notches 21. The inner edge or wall 24 of the slot 4 .22 is convexed longitudinally, so as to have arounded point of contact or fulcrum 25 against which the inner edge of the Wedge 23 bears at a longitudinal point intermediate the stakes '15. This provides a threepoint contact, in order that the pressure will be distributed substantially evenly to both stakes by using a single wedge or securing element. The wedge 23 has pins or studs 26 and27 at its smaller and larger ends, respectively, to provide stops for ,lim-l iting the sliding movement of the wedge in the latch, and to prevent the. accidental withdrawal or loss of the wedge. The wedge -thus remains assembled with the latch, with the narrower end of the wedge' I at the forward end of the latch. The head A' 18 of the latch has recesses 28 at--the forward end of the slot 22 to receiverthel pin or stop 26 when the wedge is retracted, in order that the forward end of the wedge may be drawn completely into the slot 22, in order to facilitate separationv of the rails,

as well as the setting up of the form.

The retraction of the latch may be limjited so as to permit the .latch head 18 to lbe retracted from the socket member 13 of the companion rail but not from the socket member of therail with which the latch is assembled. With the latches of the seyeral rails retracted, and the corresponding stakes removed, the rails may be readily moved transversely or vertically to assemble or separate the rails, so that it is unnecessary to move the rails lengthwise in bringing them togetherl or removing one or more rails. When a latch is retracted,`the wedge 23 may valso be retracted to bring its forward end within the slot 22, so that said wedge will not interfere with the relative transverlse or vertical movement of the adjacent ral s.

When the rails are positioned end to end i and the latch is projected so as to tit snugly stakes, latch and socket members tightly together, the latch being clamped against thc webs S and plates l2, and the stakes 15 being clamped against the outer edges ot' the apertures A14:. 'The wedge may have a rocking movement against the contact point `25 so that the pressure will be distributed substantially evenly between the two stakes, y in order that both stakes will be securely clamped. The 'wedge 23 maybe conveniently operated, being struck at the wider end to` clamptlie,'stakes, land being struck at the smaller end to loosen the stakes, and said vv'edge eliminates the objections in'- cident to the use of set screws for clamping 80 the stakes as disclosed in the .aforesaid patent. Set screws require screw-threads which are apt to become worn, and the set screws are also apt to be lost, as well as requiring rotation' of the two set screws for 85 tightening and loosening-the stakes, whereas the operation of the wedge is-more simple and eilicient.

Fig. 1 also shows a modification to be used on a rail between .the ends thereof, when it is desired to secure the intermediateportion of the rail to the ground. A plate 12 is riveted, welded or otherwise secured to the outer side ofthe rail web, and has an outstanding portion or arm 13 provided with a vertical aperture 14 to receive the stake l15 which is driven down 'through lthe aperture into the ground. The arm or portion 13 has a longitudinal slot 22 in which a wedge 23is slidable longi- 100 tudinally, and said `wedge has the stop lugs or pins 26` and 27at its opposite ends. The portion 13 vmay also have recesses 528, at one end of the slot 22 to 4receive the lug or pin 26. When the wedge is driven 105 through the aperture 14', the wedge 23 can be driven in the slot 22 so 'as to clamp` the stake 15'.

Having thus described the invention,v what is claimed as new is 1. A concrete form having means for receiving two stakes, and a single element arranged to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

' 2. A concrete form comprising rails, two stakes, means for connecting said stakes and 115 rails, and a single element carried by said means arranged to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

3. A concrete form comprising rails, two stakes, means for connecting said stakes and 120 rails and having a slot, and a wedge slidablc in said slot to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

'4. In a 'concrete form, a member having means to receive two stakes, and means car- 125 ried by said member operable with a single operation to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

5. In a concrete form, a member having means for receiving two stakes, and a wedge 130 carried by said member arranged to simu1- laneously clamp both stakes.

ti. In a concrete form, a member having means for receiving two stakes, and a wedge to engage both of said stakes, said member having a portion for the Contact ot' the wedge and so arranged as to distribute the pressure to both stakes.

T. A concrete form comprising rails, .socket members secured to the rails. a latch to fit in said lsocket members, said members and latch having stake-receiving means` for two stakes, and means operable with a sin- ;le operation to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

8. A concrete form comprising rails, .socketmembers secured to the rails, a latch to tit in said socket members, said members and latch having stake-receiving means for two stakes, and ,means carried by the latch and arranged to simultaneouslyclamp both stakes.

9. A concrete form comprising rails, socket members-secured to the rails, a latch to fit in said socket members, said members and latch having stake-receiving means for two stakes, and a wedge carried by the latch to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

10. A concrete form comprising rails,

socket members secured to the rails, a latch to fit in said socket members, said members and latch having stake-receiving means for two stakes.' and a Wedge carried by the latch to engage both stakes, the latch having a portion for the contact of the Wedge so arranged as to distribute the pressure to both stakes.

y l1.` A concrete form comprising nils, socket members secured to the rails. a latch to-t in-said socket members and having a slot, said lat-ch and members having means for receiving two stakes, and a wedge slidable in said slot to simultaneously clamp both stakes.

12. A concrete form comprising rails, socket members secured to the rails, a latch to in said socket members and having a slot, said latch vand members having means for receiving tw'o stakes, and a wedge slid-I able in said slot to engage both stakes, said slot having a convexed Wall opposite to t'he stakes and providing a Contact portion for the wedge intermediate the stakes to dis-` tribute the pressure to both stakes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

FRANCIS OSCAR HELTZEL. 

